Judge sets trial date for Air Force sexual assault honcho

The trial for the Air Force official who was charged with sexual battery over the weekend will start on July 18, an Arlington District Court judge announced Thursday.

Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski, 41, maintained a stoic facial expression throughout his brief arraignment. He did not speak, except briefly to acknowledge that he understood his charge of sexual battery.

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Booking photo of Lt. Col. Jeff Krusinski

Sheryl Shane, Krusinski's lawyer, pushed for a September trial date but the judge denied the request.

Krusinski was arrested Sunday and charged with sexual battery for allegedly grabbing a woman by the breasts and buttocks in a parking lot not far from the Pentagon. He was drunk, according to the police report.

The woman fought him off, scratching his face.

Krusinski ran the U.S. Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. He had held this post since February.

The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in prison and a $2,500 fine.